Huntington-based Gnarly Karma,playing the Great South Bay Music Festival, above, will play to the home crowd when they open for TR3 at The Paramount on Feb. 1.

By Sophia Riccosricco@longislandergroup.com

Huntington-based Gnarly Karma is stoked to hit the stage of The Paramount this week. The band opens Friday for one of their musical influences, Dave Matthews Band guitarist Tim Reynolds and his band TR3.

All are locals: Menert is from Cold Spring Harbor; Beyer, McAdam and Hanley from Elwood; and Sklar from Syosset.

The band has dreamed of playing at The Paramount for years.

“It’s something that we’ve been working towards since we started,” Renert said. “Growing up, I always went to the city to see shows and wished there was someplace in Huntington to see concerts. When the Paramount opened, we said, ‘We’re gonna play there. We might start out opening but one day we’ll get to headline.’”

Formed six years ago, Gnarly Karma has gained notoriety for their eclectic music style and spirited live performances at venues like Long Island’s Great South Bay Music Festival, Alive After Five in Patchogue Village, and South by Southwest Music Festival, in Austin, Texas.

But for Gnarly Karma, the Paramount gig is a home game. Renert said he couldn’t put into words the excitement he felt knowing he would be playing for his home community on Friday.

“The goal was always to get into The Paramount on the main stage. We’re super-pumped about that,” Renert said.

The band’s music appeals to a broad audience, and each member brings his own musical perspective. Beyer’s drumming is influenced by Latin rhythms, Hanley loves Motown and funk, Sklar is into all things classic rock, while McAdam prefers modern alternative rock. As the singer/songwriter, Renert focuses on his lyrics and wants listeners to connect with them.

“We all bring a flavor to the song and when it all comes together, it’s really something that everyone can listen to,” Renert said. “I love that we all have different musical influences.”

One of Renert’s inspirations happens to be headliner, Tim Reynolds, who he idolized as a songwriter with Dave Matthews. He remembers going to sleepaway camp, when first learning to play the guitar and his counselor played him “Dave and Tim Live at Luther College” on cassette.

“That album is timeless for me, I listen to it all the time,” Renert said. “When I think of acoustic song-writing, I think of Dave Matthews and Tim Reynolds on that album. It’s really unbelievable. I would always listen to it and say Tim Reynolds lead guitar playing is amazing, and now we’re opening for him.”

Gnarly Karma will be releasing new songs this year and hope to perform at more gigs across the country. Catch them open for Tim Reynolds and TR3 on Friday, Feb. 1. Doors open at 6:30 p.m., show at 8 p.m. Tickets range from $15-40.

In a matter of days, Eric Heftler went from playing his guitar on the streets to playing in front of a crowd on the stage of The Paramount.

Known simply as “Eric on the Curb,” Heftler found himself with the opportunity to open for band Southside Johnny & The Asbury Jukes on Saturday after a run-in inside The Paramount’s Founders Room with acclaimed musician Jeff Beck put Heftler’s name on the radar of the band’s manager.

On Wednesday, the directors of The Paramount in Huntington village announced a multi-year marketing partnership with TD Bank, the sixth-largest bank in North America. In sealing the deal, the Paramount’s directors are hoping to put their mark on the live entertainment industry as a major theater with influence across the nation.

No stranger to making noise in downtown Huntington, the people behind The Paramount announced on Friday they will be adding another weapon to their musical arsenal: a radio studio.

Through a partnership with Connoisseur Media Long Island, operators of six Long Island radio stations, The Paramount is set to begin building its “state-of-the-art” studio at its location in Huntington village.

Read on to learn more about the studio and how The Paramount hopes to use it offer a “killer experience” for both fans and artists alike!